Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya addresses two-day meeting of Gauteng-based inspectors

Employment and Labour Deputy Minister, Jomo Sibiya, has appealed to the department’s inspectorate to jack up inspections in Gauteng Province to a much higher level to ensure compliance with labour market legislation.

“Gauteng is the economic hub of South Africa and needs special attention. We will be embarking on intensive inspections soon. We need to correct this province first before we can think of fixing the country,” Sibiya said.

Sibiya was speaking today (25 October) at the start of the two-day meeting of Gauteng-based inspectors. The meeting by the Department of Employment and Labour Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch held at the Cedar Woods hotel and conference centre is designed to shape the Inspection and Enforcement Services branch strategy to enhance professionalism and client-centric service delivery.

The meeting is attended by an estimated 400 team of inspectors.

Sibiya said the work of the inspectorate is intricate and detailed – and takes special skills to execute. He appealed to inspectors to uphold a culture of high ethical standards, diligence, and focus on delivering on their mandate. He highlighted the deployment of resources, saying their distribution needs to go where they are needed most.

He said allegations have been floating around that some inspectors were corrupt; he, however, lamented that no one has yet come forward with evidence. Sibiya had high praise for the IES, describing them as a special branch.

“We need to change our modus operandi on how we do inspections. We must lead from the front in professionalism. Through our work, we have upped the bar, and we need to heighten it further. The work you are doing is a noble job. When people see you, they see hope,” he said.

“To those who are doing wrong things, your time has reached its dead-end. We will not tolerate acts of misconduct and unethical behaviour.

Sibiya gave the meeting a chuckle, saying, “When you see me trending on other stories, ignore those and focus on the work of inspection and enforcement”.

The IES branch in the department exists to ensure inspection and enforcement to ensure compliance with all labour market policies.

In the 2025/26 annual performance plan (APP), the IES aims to conduct 298,104 compliance inspections nationally. The branch plans to serve at least 95% of non-compliant employers who fail to comply with notices in terms of relevant labour laws within 14 calendar days of inspections. It also plans to refer for prosecution 65 percent of employers who fail to comply with a served notice within 30 working days. In addition, the IES plans to increase awareness of employment of labour through formal advocacy sessions and conferences.

Today's meeting’s objective is part of capacity development, whose objective is to foster the transformation of the labour inspectorate into a world-class institution characterised by excellence and ethical conduct.

According to the Department’s Inspector-General, Aggy Moiloa, this endeavour entails embracing innovation and leveraging technology to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of labour inspection practices.

For media inquiries, please contact: Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 697 0694
E-mail: teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za

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